REVIEW: “Capital Gaines” by Chip Gaines

Attention, book blog universe! I have returned.

A lot has changed since my last entry. My husband and I both have new jobs and have moved from a small town in Southeast Iowa to the bustling metropolis of Des Moines, our state’s capital city. We’re pretty much settled in our new home, and my thoughts have again turned to my long-neglected book blog.

One of my new year’s resolutions is to revive That Book Lady Blog, hopefully on a long-term basis. To that end, I’d like to share with you all a review of the first book I’ve completed in 2018.

This first read was a gift from my mom, who shares with me a love of all things related to Chip and Joanna Gaines — stars of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper” and Magnolia moguls. There’s a lot about their story that resonates with me.

My review

“Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff” by Chip Gaines

Published Oct. 17, 2017

208 pages, Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 0785216308

“…when you aren’t trying to avoid failure, fear loses its foothold. The courage to take a chance is half the battle. The other half? Viewing failure as a teacher and not an enemy.”

This insightful, humorous and thought-provoking memoir has given me a deeper appreciation for the media empire Chip and his wife, Joanna Gaines, have built in recent years. Like any truly admirable success story, nothing was handed to the Gaineses, although they credit a lot of their success to the support of family and friends.

I appreciated Chip’s sometimes painfully honest account of how the mistakes he’s made over the years shaped him into the husband, father and businessman he is today. He challenges readers to embrace failure and live fearlessly. He encourages readers to identify their passions in life and figure out how they can use those passions to impact the world around them.

That’s a message I can get behind.

5 stars

 

About the author

Raised in Dallas, Texas, Chip Gaines is the host of HGTV’s Fixer Upper along with his wifeJoanna Gaines. Chip and Joanna are both graduates of Baylor University. They flip, remodel and fix up homes together as owners of Magnolia Homes in Waco, Texas. Chip manages the construction and realty side of Magnolia. Their businesses include a real estate company, construction company, design firm and residential subdivision, Magnolia Villas. Chip and Joanna have four children and live in Waco, Texas.

Photo and bio courtesy of author’s Goodreads profile